


As Lingering Echoes, which Afar Confound

by Eridani



Series: Correspondences [1]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Careful Ren, Feels, First Kiss, First Time, Hurt/Comfort, Hux seing Kylo's face, M/M, Minor wound treatment, Sassy Boys, Smut, TW for blood, and of italics, but not in blood plays, excessive use of smoked tea, minor wound, wounded Hux
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-23
Updated: 2016-04-23
Packaged: 2018-06-04 00:28:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6633367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eridani/pseuds/Eridani
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For months, the Master of the Knights of Ren has brought destruction on Hux’s beloved Finalizer.<br/>For months, the General tried to stop him.<br/>But this time, Kylo Ren goes too far.<br/>To stop him, Hux has to resort to drastic measures. His plan literally backfires on him and ends in an unexpected way for both of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As Lingering Echoes, which Afar Confound

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> The tittle is from the sonnet [Correspondance ](http://fleursdumal.org/poem/103) by Charles Baudelaire.  
> The original prompt was : _Fluff in which Hux is sick, and Kylo takes care of him_ , which I slightly distorted into _Fluff and smut in which Hux is wounded, and Kylo takes care of him_ , I hope my prompteress will not mind!
> 
> My deepest gratitude to my beautiful betas and cheerleaders, [ Kat2107 ](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Kat2107/pseuds/Kat2107) and [ pkabyssinian ](http://archiveofourown.org/users/pkabyssinian/pseuds/pkabyssinian)
> 
> English not being my first language, please be forgiving for errors or typos, those are mine!

As usual, the outward impression General Hux gave while striding through the _Finalizer_ was one of perfect order. Perfect skin, not a strand of gingerness out of place, perfect uniform, shining boots, even his regulatory weapon seemed more perfect than normal ones. His stride was slightly longer than his height should allow. It was whispered that this was on purpose, to keep those walking with him on a slight imbalance. His pale eyes were fixed ahead, but everybody knew that no small mistake, no cap askew went unnoticed.

Despite his pristine appearance, Hux’s mind was in turmoil. He had been at the end of a long shift, after long months of hard work. They were still setting everything up to start construction on the weapon that would soon bring about the doom of the ridiculous Republic and the no less ridiculous self-called Resistance. After the meeting with his engineers, Hux had hoped, foolishly, that he would be able to enjoy a cup of his favorite tea in the quiet of his quarters, before a well-deserved night of sleep. But as soon as he saw Lt Mitaka waiting for him with a frantic expression, he knew that the giant black-clad curse Supreme Leader Snoke had dumped on him had yet again unleashed havoc on his beloved ship.

 

It had been only a few months after he had been honored with the command of the First Order’s flagship and, in retrospect, if Hux had known what ordeal was to come with it, maybe he would have thought twice before accepting…

When Supreme Leader Snoke had informed him that the Master of the Knights of Ren would join him on the _Finalizer_ and that they would have to collaborate, Hux had been at the same time thrilled and bothered. To work in concert, as equals, with the Supreme Leader most prized pupil was a tremendous honor but the pragmatic mind of Hux had a deeply ingrained spite for those sword-wielding, mojo-magic pseudo warriors who caused the downfall of the Empire.

The Master of the Knights of Ren had arrived on board in the new _Upsilon-_ class shuttle whose aesthetic deeply shocked Hux. He had thought of those seabirds found on Naboo. They looked glorious in flight but were embarrassed by their giant wings when they landed. Well, this _Upsilon-_ class shuttle might look glorious in flight but with its wings folded it had reminded him of the waffle iron used on special occasions at the Huxes.

Hux had been informed during the approach phase that Kylo Ren was alone in this monstrosity. He had immediately categorized him as a show-off - what the hell, piloting a 2 pilots brand new shuttle alone…- but had still given him a little leeway. Maybe Ren had wanted to impress Hux, infamous commander of the First Order's flagship at a shockingly young age. Maybe Ren had wanted to set them up as equally dangerous partners from the start.

The hatch had then opened and what would become Hux’s worst nightmare had appeared. Hux had watched this imposing figure walk towards him. Black robes, black gloves and the ugliest helmet _ever_. Uglier even than even the one TIE pilots wore, which Hux would hate to his last breath just as much as he had hated the piloting courses at the Academy. The whole outfit was completed by a threadbare cowl which Hux would have not tolerated to wipe his floor.

The creature - what other name give to it when there was no way to know if it was human or alien, male or female? - was _only_ a couple of inches taller than Hux , yet it had stopped just at the right distance to force Hux to look up at the customized wastepaper bin it was wearing. Hux had inwardly rolled his eyes. _Show-off, no aesthetic sense in ships nor clothes, and a size complex. What was next, Daddy-issues?_

“Welcome on board the _Finalizer_ , Lord Ren, I’m General Hux. As the Supreme Leader wishes, I hope we…”

“Show me my quarters,” Kylo Ren had interrupted in a distorted, deep voice, and turned away towards the turbolift. A crate had been levitating behind him.

Hux had not arrived at his position by being easily baffled by rudeness and displays of magic. Without a blink, he had signaled to one of his officers to follow Ren. Watching the back of the man - at least the voice had left no doubt about the sex of Kylo Ren - walking away, Hux had been overcome with a feeling of impending doom.

 

Now, a few months later, Mitaka had come to ask for his intervention to stop Ren. Usually, Hux was informed of Ren’s tantrum _afterwards_. He had realised soon enough that his crew deemed it safe not to interfere with Ren when he was in a destructive mood, and that they deemed it even safer not to inform Hux while it was happening because they did not want their General to get killed. Hux valued his life greatly, certainly more than a console, and considering the animosity of his interactions with Ren, he did not doubt that the Knight would jump at any occasion to kill him.

This time though, Ren was attacking the command deck and, according to Mitaka, was getting closer and closer to a vital part of the gravitational damper controls. Hux was strangely proud that his Officers, faced with real danger to the ship, preferred to put his life at risk rather than the _Finalizer_.

While walking towards the deck, Hux gave thought on how to stop Ren. He had tried already to chastise him, to appeal to his sense of duty, to ignore it. Nothing seemed to be able to stop this childish behaviour and Hux was starting to consider referring the whole matter to Snoke. Even if it would cost him greatly to admit to their leader that he could not tame the Knight, the expenses were starting to be a problem and if it was between his pride and his ship… The simple thought of lowering his pride and losing credit to the Supreme Leader made Hux's blood boil in his veins. He had to find a way to stop the giant menace. The idiot was so stupid that what was most surely an insignificant problem had escalated to put his beloved ship in danger and that was unforgivable.

 

Hux arrived at the deck, internally fuming, to the smell of melted plastisteel and the deep red glow of the bloody lightsaber. Indeed, Ren was about to badly damage the ship, Mitaka had been wise to call him.

“REN”, Hux shouted at the black figure who kept chopping into the console, sending flying pieces of the ship in every direction. Hux felt a sharp sting on his cheekbone. This was his tipping point, and he made his decision in a blink. At worst, he’d get rid of the menace and he could always tell Snoke that between the loss of the Knight and the loss of their flagship, the former would be less disastrous for the First Order’s image. At best, well, it would work.

Hux shouted to everyone to go down, pulled his blaster, aimed and fired.

****

From the haze of his anger, Kylo felt the energy of a blast shot and instinctively turned to deflect it. He looked up, full of rage, ready to rip to shreds whoever _dared_ to shoot at him. Hux.

He stood in the middle of the command deck, body turned to the left, the fallen greatcoat pooling at his parted feet. His right arm pointed the blaster in Kylo’s direction, his left was folded to the small of his back. He held himself straight, proud and tall with such an air of command that Kylo’s rage faltered. His carved face had the usual serene mask Kylo hated so much.

In the charged space between them, their animosity crackled across the bridge and, for a bright second, Kylo felt the moment he had when he had stepped off his shuttle and come face to face with Hux for the first time. Stunned by the striking physical particularity bore like a bloody crown, enraged by the icy facade that Hux wore down to the last recess of his mind.

Except that this time, a trail of blood was lovingly curving around Hux's right cheekbone.

The rich red of Hux's blood on his peach-like skin, on the only part of him that looked soft, felt like a blow to Kylo’s gut. Kylo’s rage morphed into a swirling mess of emotions. A hungry and dark satisfaction at seeing Hux's perfection despoiled. A stark realisation that he, Kylo Ren, had caused this. All the conflicted feelings he had for the General coalesced in a pure crystal of need. Images of Hux letting him worship his body played in fast succession in his mind but the most overwhelming urge was to take care of him and to right the wrong he had done to this statuesque flawlessness.

And now here was Kylo, standing before Hux, who had just shot at his back, his hate changed into lust by the aesthetic power of crimson blood on marble skin.

 

After what felt like an eternity, Hux lowered his blaster, turned and left. Behind him stayed a deafening silence and the forgotten greatcoat.

Kylo deactivated his lightsaber.

Going to pick up the greatcoat, he found it in Mitaka’s arms.

“Give it to me” said Kylo, grabbing for the piece of clothing.

“No, I’ll…” Mitaka had the audacity to answer. Kylo had to admit that despite his shivering fawn look, Mitaka had guts to deny him after what just happened. The young Lieutenant was fiercely protective of his General and for his boldness and his loyalty, Kylo decided not to kill him. He wanted the coat, though, so he emitted a low growl threatening enough for Mitaka to decide that he would not forfeit his life for the piece of clothes. Kylo exited the room, leaving behind him a smoking console and a bewildered crew.

****

Hux was sitting mournfully on his bed staring into nothing. He felt strangely empty as if the blast shot had sucked out all his anger and energy. He thought about his greatcoat abandoned in a crumpled heap on the deck. No, Mitaka would have picked it up and folded it. Mitaka was always so neat. Maybe he should make himself a tea, let the heat and the bitterness of it wash away the sour taste in his mouth. Hux put his elbows on his knees and dropped his head. He had saved his ship from damage, he would deal with the escalation of his and Ren’s animosity later.

 

When his door chimed, he released it by force of habit, expecting Mitaka. He realised too late that the silent looming figure of Kylo Ren was standing in front of the bed.

“What do you want?” Hux sighed.

“You left this in the floor of the deck.” the Knight answered with a strange voice and handed him his greatcoat. Hux stood to take it but stumbled when pain shot through his side. Had Ren not extended his arm he would have crumbled on the floor. He let out a strangle cry when he impacted with an arm as hard as a steel rod.

“Are you… wounded?” Disbelief dripped in Ren’s deep voice.

“Yes, Ren, I am wounded. You should know as you so kindly deflected the blast towards my guts.” Hux was not even in the mood for real anger. He had shot at Ren’s back so it was only fair for Ren to try to take him down.

"What?" Kylo Ren's voice rose until not even the mask’s distorter was able to filter out the distress. "No! I..." He had already taken half a step and now pulled himself back with clear effort. "No, I just repelled it! I had no intention to wound you. Why aren't you in Medical?" Fear colored Ren’s voice, a fine waver that Hux would have noted with malicious glee, had he been in a better state. It seemed even his bane shied from telling Snoke he damaged his General.

“Stop fretting, Ren. I’m not in Medical, because you missed my guts. It’s a flesh wound, I can take care of it. The only thing I need is for you to leave.”

Ren growled. “No. Sit down, I’ll take care of it. After all, it’s my fault.”

Hux froze. A display of responsibility? What was this new ploy? He was too tired for games, hell, he was tired of their games.

When Ren pushed him towards the bed, he realised none of them had let go of the other. Ren guided him down with such gentleness than Hux felt suddenly very vulnerable. Wounded, emotionally and physically exhausted and sitting on his bed in front of his nemesis, Hux could feel his General persona fray at the edges and knew it was written all over his face.

He hadn’t yet managed to pull it back together when Ren return from the refresher with the standard first aid kit in his hands and knelt before him. They stayed like that for a few seconds, the faceless mask looking up at Hux. Ren made then a strange aborted gesture. He seemed to finally make up his mind because his hand shot up to the bottom of his helmet. With a hissing noise, the vocoder slipped upwards and Kylo Ren pulled his mask off.

Hux had wondered since day one what was hidden behind the mask and felt absolutely not ready for it. Annoyance flared that Ren had waited for him to be weakened to reveal the monstrosity that was undoubtedly his face.

 

From the Knight’s kneeling position, Hux could only see a brilliant mane of sable hair. Ren stayed bent a few more seconds and, after a deep sigh, raised his head to look at Hux.

Hux's mind stayed blank. No ugly scarification, no grotesque protrusion of flesh. Just pale skin littered with dark moles. Just a structured nose and the plushest red lips Hux ever had the misfortune to see. And golden brown eyes, waiting to be judged.

The stupefied raised eyebrows and the squeak Hux tried to suppress were clearly not expected, considering the blush that dusted Ren’s cheekbones. He smiled slightly and his features realigned into something that made Hux’s mind emit a low whine. _Fuck_.

Hux felt something shift deep in his core. Ren ticked all his boxes, pushed all his buttons, yes, but Hux slowly realised that Ren _resonated_ with him on a deeper level. The Knight, with his tremendous power, was untamable as a blazing sun, when Hux was the gravitational pull that ordered the dance of planets. They were like a black hole and a nebula, locked in a waltz of destruction and creation. Hux had had enemies before, he had despised a vast array of persons, but never had he collided with someone with such passion.

“You’ll have to undress so I can tend to your wounds properly.” Ren’s voice pulled him out of his daydream. “I can also cut them off, if you prefer?” He said with a hint of _something._ Hux was too busy not thinking about Ren undressing him to analyse.

Hux managed a noncommittal noise, unclasped his belt and unbuttoned his jacket. His wounded right side send a jolt of pain when he tried to remove it and Ren had to help him ease the jacket off. From the searing heat of his hands on his shoulders, Hux realised Ren had shed his gloves and during the time it took him to process the fact and the heat, Ren had managed to sneakily divest him of his undershirt. He presently sported the look of someone who has just unexpectedly been punched in the guts. _Well_ , Hux had mused, _for such a dreadful creature, he certainly wears his emotions on his face_ …. _The helmet_ does _make sense after all_.

Hux knew he had nothing to be ashamed of. He was lean, yes, but as toned as his genetics allowed. His shoulders were dusted with freckles and the only hair he sported was the ginger trail that led down from his navel. Hux was suddenly embarrassed as he realised his nipples had pebbled under Ren’s appreciative scrutiny, his body clearly ahead of his mind concerning the Knight’s physical proximity.

“The shot caught me half on the back. “ Hux said to break the moment which had started to linger embarrassingly long.

“What? Oh…yes.” This time, the blush was not just _dusting_ Ren’s cheeks. Hux did notice it and filed it away for later, together with all the previous unexpected reactions.

 

Ren opened the first aid kit to retrieve the necessary supplies and sat on the bed next to him. His expression made perfectly clear how unexpected he also found the whole situation. After observing the wound, Ren declared it to be more of a burn.

The sharp tang of disinfectant was the only warning Hux got before feeling its coldness on his skin. Ren’s gestures were assured and he clearly knew what he was doing. Hells, he had probably had his fair share of wounds to take care of…

Hux was not used to being tended to. He had learned a good while ago to count only on himself, especially for the treatment of minor wounds. Being seen wounded had been considered a display of weakness back at the Academy, and this was the habit that had allowed him not to move a hair when the blast had hurt him. But, strangely, watching Ren’s concentrated face, so expressive and strange, was lulling him into a sense of _safeness_ , as if now he was no longer at risk from the Knight.

 

Ren was periodically brushing against the sensitive side of his ribcage, and Hux could feel the heat of the fingers. A more lingering slide of the calluses, catching against his smooth skin, sent a shiver running through his whole body. Ren gasped slightly. He finished by applying gauze for the wound not to chafe against the fabric of Hux's clothes. He took the greatcoat, abandoned on the bed, and draped it over Hux's shoulders, as if he thought the shiver, and maybe the erect nipples, were due to the coolness of the room. Ren knelt back on the floor to put the supplies back in the first aid kit.

“Could you…” Hux hesitated briefly, “take care of the cheek too?” Ren’s head snapped up, avoiding his eyes by focusing on the wounded cheekbone, and clearly as bewildered as Hux at the request.

“Yes, sure. If you want. No problem. I can do it.” Ren took a pad of gauze dabbed with disinfectant and a deep breath, before raising on his knees and extending his hand. He stopped before touching, still not looking Hux in the eyes. A short nod allowed him to continue and he cleaned the blood that had trailed down to Hux's jawline. His movements were even more delicate than before. Ren’s brows creased at the sight of the cut.

“It’s from a flying piece of the misfortunate console.” Hux provided with a smirk that pulled at the wound. Ren had the decency to look guilty and pouted a little. He then took a tube of bacta to apply to the wound, and, to work with precision had to take ahold of Hux's head. His long fingers splayed on the side of Hux's skull, his index finger resting on the bone just behind his ear and the thumb below his chin. Hux closed his eyes and parted his lips.

Kylo drew a sharp intake of breath and hurriedly sat back on his haunches to put the tube back in the kit.

Hux considered the kneeling figure for a while and, with a deep sigh of resolve, pulled his hand from under the warmth of his greatcoat to put it on Kylo’s head. His thumb stroked the soft hair at Kylo’s temple.

 

Kylo stayed perfectly still for what seemed like an eternity. Then, Hux could see his long dark lashes flutter closed, before Kylo let out his own deep sigh. Very slowly, as if not to spook Hux, Kylo turned his head until his lips were resting on the base of his thumb. It was Hux's turn to be frozen in place by the magnitude of the shift that was occurring between them. The reasonable part of him was yelling to run the fuck out of here, never mind if it was his own quarters. But his inner self _wanted_ , wanted more of the soft wetness of Kylo’s breath on his hand, wanted it elsewhere than his hand. Hux felt strangely bereft of any sense of initiative, as if the caressing gesture he had taken had emptied him. Or was it the boldness of Kylo’s soft not-kiss on his hand?

Kylo raised his left hand and took hold of Hux's one. With something akin to reverence, he cradled it in his paws and nuzzled the inside of Hux's wrist.

“You smell leather and...smoke?” His deep voice was barely above a whisper, as if his words had not been meant to be spoken aloud but had been too potent to be contained.

“My gloves do not have lining, and I like smoked tea.” Hux answered with the same tone, reverent of the intimacy of the moment. Shaking out of it now would embarrass them both.

Forward, then, was the only path.

Smiling yet not dropping Hux's hand, Kylo raised up on his knees and slowly went to nuzzle behind Hux's ear, the exact same spot his calloused fingertip had been touching seconds ago.

“This is the only part not covered by your uniform. It always looked so vulnerable, but the bone feels so strong to the touch.” Kylo’s lips kissed his skin lightly and Hux's mind jolted violently at the sensation. He grabbed Kylo’s head and tore it away from his temple. His gaze bore into Kylo’s, finding him terrified, almost frantic. Hux softened his face to a small smile, their first, and, in a blink, Kylo went from terrified to tearful. Hux had no other choice to than to bring their lips together.

***

Kylo had arrived at Hux's quarters wearing the remnants of his rage threaded with his newfound lust. He had not expected to find Hux so vulnerable, Hell, he had never seen Hux at anything but the top of his game. To be confronted so soon afterwards with the proof of his recklessness carved across the soft skin of Hux's ribcage only strengthened the epiphany he had had on the deck.

He had treated Hux’s wounds alternating between the certitude that Hux was as troubled as he was and the crippling doubt that he was grossly misreading the situation. Every shiver, every sigh of the General had vibrated under his fingertips, set his mind and body on fire until. Kylo could barely breathe at the sight before him. The man looked unreal, a creature of legend born to doom Kylo, or to avenge him. He was starfire melting porcelain, a scorching gaze following Kylo’s every move.

But he was also smooth skin and lean muscles, freckled shoulders and tender nipples. And soft fingers in Kylo’s hair. And leather and smoke under Kylo’s lips.

 

Kylo finally allowed his hands to really touch. Gliding his fingers along Hux's torso, he wrapped his arms around him, up to brush against the short-cropped hair at the nape, before diving into the ginger mass. He could feel the tips of his fingers catching against the strands fixed together by the gel Hux used. It was Kylo’s great pleasure to pull let them lose.

Hux groaned into Kylo’s mouth, straightening to pull him flush against him, clinging fiercely to his shoulders. Kylo senses were lost, silky soft hairs, velvety warm skin, voluptuous lips, slightly parted on the promise of more.

“Let me…” Kylo swallowed audibly, not fully daring to voice his desires.

“Yes? I might, for once, be interested in _letting_ you do something…” Hux whispered against his lips, with a smile.

“Would you let me touch you?”

“Isn’t that what I just did? I don’t often let people touch my face you know…” Hux teased. With an annoyed huff, Kylo pulled back to look at him. Hux smirked and it seemed that the acidity of their interaction had morphed into banter. This was a game Kylo could play.

“Do you really think you are in position to be smug? Half-naked on your bed with a man stronger than you?” Kylo purred against the shell of Hux's ear, tightening his arms.

“Well, maybe you could rather use those supposed muscles of yours to get me fully naked, instead of trying to crush me.” The playful smile in Hux's voice was honey to Kylo’s ears, after his gloomy defeated tone. He had not imagined General Hux to be this bold in bedplays.

Kylo needed no more incentive. Unfurling from Hux, he opened the uniform trousers and started to pull them off before realising that the boots were in the way. With an apologetic glance, to Hux’s raised eyebrow, he removed them. Kylo had never liked his legs, too muscled, with their black hairs and awkward inward bow, so he could only admire Hux's. They were dusted with soft hairs that looked more golden than red. Kylo could feel the tension of Hux's calf under his hand and he shivered, imagining them, long and lean and strong, wrapped around his waist. There was nothing soft in Hux, except his skin. He was a marble statue, but one wrapped in velvet from head to toe.

Thinking about the hardness of Hux's muscles brought Kylo back to more insistent matters. He had tried not to focus too much on the very noticeable bulge in Hux's briefs while he was removing the trousers. Hux sported a _very_ smug look. Kylo pulled the briefs down. And stared.

“But… It’s bigger than mine!” Kylo said with an offended whine.

“How should I know, you are still fully dressed.” purred Hux. “As far as I can tell, you might be 30 pounds soaking wet under your little black dress. With a tiny dick. That would explain a lot.” Hux said with a thoughtful look.

Kylo considered him briefly, then raised on his feet and started to remove his gear, never leaving Hux's eyes. The General leaned back on one arm, the greatcoat pooled around him. He was as regal as when he was fully dressed, nevermind the nakedness and the neglected raging erection. Hux's watchful gaze turned appreciative after Kylo removed his tunic, revealing the result of a life spent in fight and training. When Kylo dropped trousers and briefs in one go, Hux's smiled, predatory and proud. He affected to check his fingernails and said : “I really wonder how long it takes you to get ready on mornings, between the attire and the hairdo…”

“I think that, on the subject of clothes and hairs, you are not in a position to criticize.” And, without letting Hux come back with his smart mouth, Kylo gracefully sank to his knees and and demonstrated how much more pleasurably smart his could be.

Hux cried out, pleasure and pain mingling in his voice. He fell back, hissing as the movement pulled at his wound and within Kylo rose again this fierce need to care, to make up for the pain he had caused with pleasure. Kylo had never been a smooth talker but he was talented with his tongue nonetheless. His hands splayed on Hux’s belly, to revel at the tension rippling his ministrations brought to the taut muscles. Hux was a very controlled lover, of course he was, soundless and almost immobile. But what Kylo wanted was for Hux to abandon his discipline.

Kylo used the iron control he had over his own body to loosen his throat and take him to the hilt. The ginger hair pricked his nose, heady with the musk that was Hux's essence. With a strangled sound, Hux arched his back off the bed. His thigh came up to rest on Kylo’s shoulder and the hands grabbing the black mane did not seem to decide whether to push or to pull. Kylo swallowed before pulling off completely, Hux’s cock popping out of his mouth with a obscene, wet sound.

 

Kylo rested his head on Hux’s thigh, drawing gentle circles on Hux’s panting belly. Never getting enough of the creamy skin, he slid his hand up to Hux’s knee, feeling the scratching of his callused fingertips. He let his nose slide from Hux's groin to the inside of his thigh, feeling the perfect softness of the skin with his lips.

Hux had relaxed back on the bed, his right hand splayed above his head, his left cradled in the crook where his legs joined his body. His gorgeous lips were parted, translucent lashes dusting over his cheeks.

“This is nice, don’t stop…” Hux whispered with surprise. Kylo was unsure whether Hux was surprised at liking these soft caresses or that someone was willing to do that to him. Kylo thought briefly about using the Force, but Hux had always been opaque to him, so he discarded the idea, feeling that it would be a betrayal to the trust Hux was showing him.

Kylo turned his head to kiss the other thigh, before raising on his knees, never leaving skin. He gently mouthed at Hux's belly, lips brushing the line of red hair trailing from his navel, earning himself soft sighs. Hux was pliant under Kylo’s hands and lips, and his cock was now resting in its ginger nest, the head just peeking from the foreskin.

 

Untangling from Hux’s legs, Kylo wrapped them to rest over his hips. He slipped an arm between Hux’s shoulder blades and, finding a purchase with his arm and knee, Kylo hauled them smoothly up. With reverence, he laid Hux down on his pillow, delight spiking deep in Kylo’s gut when Hux opened his legs for him to settle in between.

Now face to face, they looked at each other, and Kylo noticed that Hux’s eyes had turned a jade green, his handsome features softened by a closed-mouthed smile. Curling one arm around the Knight’s powerful shoulders, and sliding the other into his black hair, Hux pulled Kylo to his lips. He kissed him softly on the crooked edge of his nose, drawing a path between the moles, down to his mouth. The kiss they exchanged was much more languorous than the first one, a unhurried slide of lips and tongues. Kylo thought that he could stay there for the whole eternity, basking in Hux’s furnace-like warmth, soft hands mapping the scars on his back as if determined to establish a stellar map of his body.

When Kylo found under his thumb the cut of Hux’s cheekbone, no force in the galaxy could have stopped him from kissing it, a token of his penitence. He slid down on Hux’s body, reaching the rosebud nipples that had fascinated him so much earlier on. He sucked at one, then the other, and marvelled that even this gentle pressure was bruising Hux’s peach-like skin. Soft kisses tried to sooth the tender spots.

 

Kylo sighed. He had had quite a number of partners, Snoke did not care about how Kylo chose to spend his free time. He had lain with men and women but had a preference for the strength of men. Even if he chose female lovers able to sustain his roughness, few were able to give it back fully. It was so strange for him to be here, in bed with a man he was colliding with on a daily basis, and wish nothing more than to keep caressing, kissing and pleasuring.

Pressing on Kylo’s thigh, Hux’s erection was noticeable again. Kylo took hold of it, revelling in the slide of steel-hard flesh in its silky sheath, at the way it filled his large palm. Hux had buried his fingers in Kylo’s hair, and he used the grasp he had to pull him to his mouth, opening his lips in welcome. He bit at Kylo’s tongue when the Knight circled the crown of his cock between the two first fingers.

 

“Let me…” Kylo swallowed heavily, his nose buried in Hux's neck “Please, let me fuck you?”

Hux's nails scraped painfully along his back. “Bedside drawer. Small blue bottle.” Of course, Hux would be prepared.

Reluctantly, Kylo pulled away to retrieve said item. When he came back to kneel beside him, Hux had turned on his side, his head resting on his folded arm. He looked so young, once extracted from his uniform, much younger that his almost thirty years and his position should allow. Only his eyes had the usual sharpness and Kylo wondered if he’d manage to devoid the General of it. Their previous musing had loosened all the gel from his hair, and Kylo realised that it was darkening them. Hux had lush bright ginger strands caressing his cheekbones, and Kylo pushed them away, bending in half to kiss him again.

Hux tried to take the vial from Kylo’s hand, but Kylo tightened his grip, frowning.

“Do you mind….?” Kylo lay down next to Hux.

Hux hesitated, and Kylo realised once more that Hux was not used to attentive lovers, and was as unused to someone preparing him than to someone loving every part of his body.

Hux let go of the bottle. “I hope you know what you are doing?”

“Yeah, I know plenty what I’m doing. You’ll see.” Kylo’s voice was full of smugness, and Hux's eyes narrowed. Was there a hint of… _jealousy_?

“I would not have taken you for the attentive lover kind. I’d expect you to just take what you want.” Hux's hand slowly stroked Kylo’s flank.

“This seems to be just for you, my dear General, but don’t worry I might not make an habit of it. If you like it rough, rough I can be. But not tonight.” Kylo smiled, opening the vial to coat his fingers with the thick liquid. He drew Hux's right leg to rest on his hip before sliding his hand between his thighs. Hux’s eyelids fluttered close.

“You seem to be under the impression that there will be another time. How presumptuous of you, when you barely did more than caress me like a precious princess.” Hux murmured with strain in his voice.

“But aren’t you a precious princess?” Kylo’s smile was coloring his voice and Hux’s eyes opened at the affront, their sharp edge cancelled by the gasp he could not contain any more under the onslaught of Kylo’s attention. He was breathtaking like this, his ginger hair a stark contrast against the white of the bed linen, lips parted.

And his gaze never, ever, leaving Kylo’s eyes, still defiant.

Kylo thought how exhilarating it would be to reduced the powerful General to a wanton, begging mess, but discarded the idea in favour of worshiping the proud creature like it was due.

“Turn over for me.” Kylo incited, brushing the sweaty red strands from Hux's forehead.

Kylo moved behind him, admiring the flawless lines of Hux’s back, marred only by the gauze that covered his wound. Kylo ran his thumb along the muscles lining Hux’s spine, flattering them. As Kylo breached him, Hux tossed his head up, arching his back and all that Kylo could do was cling to the last remnants of his sanity. The instincts of the beast he was demanded that he drove forwards without mercy but he stayed focussed on the shallow thrusts that were all he could allowed himself. By the time he was fully seated, they were both glistening with sweat, Kylo’s body resonating with a heartbeat that was not his. He dropped his forehead between Hux's shoulderblades.

“Hux,” he murmured reverently “Hux, you’re…”

Hux turned his face towards him, a blissful expression on his handsome features. “Kylo…” This was probably the closest he’d come to begging but hearing his name falling from Hux's lip urged Kylo on. He began to thrust, a tantalizing pace, slow, a drag of every inches of his length over the bundle of nerves hidden like a treasure in the depth of Hux’s core. Kylo’s life seemed to concentrated itself to this moment, a detonation of sensations morphing into feelings. Kylo had always been a being of emotions, they were instinctive, his living force and his bane. But, here and there, rippling muscles under his fingers, searing hot body encasing him, Kylo realised that the man under him was about to give his life a new definition. Kylo wanted to chase this crystallizing feeling deeper, an overwhelming drive he could not resist to.

“I won’t last.” Hux uttered between clenched teeth, repressing his screams.

“I’ve got you. Give me your voice...” Kylo seized Hux's cock and remembered the two fingered stroke that Hux had like.

Hux suddenly rose up on his knees, shouted, his brusque move jolting his wound, but the pain brought him over the edge and he came between Kylo’s fingers. He stayed bent like a bow for long seconds, before going boneless in Kylo’s arms, his head resting on the Knight’s shoulder, chest heaving.

Still buried in him, Kylo watched the tautness of Hux's arched torso, splattered with patches of reddened skin, and with thick trails of come. Kylo kissed his temple, his cheek, turning his head to kiss him greedily. Kylo nuzzled one last time behind Hux's ear, exertion only enhancing the smoky scent that lingered there.

 

Gently, he helped Hux turn onto his back being careful to not aggravate the wound. Every hint of sharpness was gone now, the General looked thoroughly debauched, hair plastered to his head with sweat, gaze clouded with the pleasure. Kylo felt tears prickle at his eyelids in the face of such abandoned beauty and he wondered if he would dare take his release from the pliant body. It felt like defiling a sacred temple.

As if sensing his hesitation, Hux gave him a lazy smile, stretched his arms like a cat before taking hold of Kylo’s hand. And proceeding to lick it clean of his own come, watching the effect he had on Kylo.

Kylo’s mind went perfectly blank. When finished with his filthy ministrations, Hux wrapped his legs around Kylo’s waist and pulled him towards him, holding out welcoming arms. His hand found Kylo’s cock and guided him in, his mouth falling opened at the sensation. Kylo shuddered violently.

“Go on, I want you to come in me. Kylo…” At Hux trusting words, Kylo lost himself and, after a few powerful thrusts came deep in the General’s body, eyes still full of tears.

***

 

They lay silently, side by side, Kylo’s arm slung over Hux's belly, Hux's fingers threading in Kylo’s hair, and the Knight wanted to purr at the pleasant sensation. Kylo pressed kisses into the shoulder he was using as a pillow.

“Kylo?” Hux murmured into his forehead.

“Hmmm?”

“It’s not that this is not very nice, but I need to move…”

Hux smiled at Kylo's childish grunt and sat up to go to the small kitchen. He put water to boil, then picked an exquisitely delicate porcelain pot and poured loose tea leaves into it. On the way, he had picked his datapad and began to check his messages. At Kylo’s incredulous chuckle, he turned towards the bed.

“What?” Despite the annoyed tone, he was smiling.

“You’re incredible. Here you are, making tea, checking your messages. Well fucked, fully naked. With your come on your belly and mine dripping from your ass.” Kylo was delighted. “You are so filthy, I’d imagine you would run to the shower but no. You make tea.” Kylo dissolved into laughters.

“You will know, my dear Lord Ren, that there are times when tea is more important than a shower.” Hux got a cloth wet and summarily wiped his belly and his thighs. He went about the rather disgusting task with such grace and casualness that Kylo found it hard to believe this man was the uptight, stick in the mud General Hux.

“And I thought I had seen your hidden side earlier….” At Kylo’s jest, Hux rolled his eyes and, shaking his head, turned back to pour hot water on his tea.

“Do you want some?” Hux asked pulling two small, also exquisitely delicate, cups from the small cupboard.

“Is it the one that smells smoke?”

“The very one.” Hux came back and expertly filled one of the tiny cups held between his fingers and handed it to Kylo. “Careful, Ren, it’s hot. And fragile.”

Kylo held the cup as carefully as he could and hid his disappointment at the return of _Ren_ by taking a sip.

“It’s very strange, it tastes bitter, really like smoke. Do you have anything to soften it?” Hux, seated against the headboard of the bed, looked at him coldly.

“If you defile my tea with sweetener, I’ll kill you.” He looked so serious that Kylo did not dare comment. After a few sips, it was much better, and it so strongly reminded him of Hux's scent that Kylo soon enough found it pleasant.

 

They drank in companionable silence.

“So,” Hux began “I have a deal for you.”

“I’m all ears.” Kylo purred.

“Next time you feel the need for property damages, come to me and I’ll show you how very much not a precious princess I am.” They were both sitting crossed-legged, facing each other. Kylo tried to imagine what Hux meant.

_Hux on his knees before him, his lush lips wrapped around the cock Kylo barely had pulled the clothes off in his need. Kylo’s gloved hands holding his face to fuck this damned mouth. Hux's green eyes, tears clinging to his pale lashes, looking up at the faceless mask, swallowing around Kylo’s dick. Or his ass, stretched to its limit, while Hux kept him bent over his desk by his iron authority and the glorious burn of his dick._

“I can tell that the idea appeals to you, considering the dead fish look you are sporting…” Hux tilted his head and looked at Kylo through his eyelashes. “I have three conditions, though.” At this, he raised the elegant finger that had been sliding along Kylo’s twitching dick.

“I would have been surprised otherwise.” Kylo said and nipped at the brandished finger. Hux pulled it away with an annoyed huff.

“First,” he raised his thumb “if you ever damage anything or anyone voluntarily on my ship, it’s over.”

“Acceptable.”

“Second,” the index came up “you never talk about sweetening my tea anymore”. Kylo stayed surprised for a second before shaking his empty cup in front of Hux’s smiling face.

“I drank it, no?”

“I suppose you did. Third,” the middle finger seemed to hesitate for a second “.... third, we are exclusive.”

That was... unexpected. Exclusivity spoke of possessiveness, of something _more_. It would not be a problem for him, he used sex as a relief mechanism and was perfectly fine with doing it only with Hux. But Kylo was a greedy creature.

“May I add my own condition?” Hux arched a red eyebrow. “After all, I do guess that you also benefit from the arrangement?” Hux's acquiescing curve of lips urged Kylo on.

“If we are to be exclusive, I don’t want just the sex. I want to get to know who you really are, not General Hux, you, Dion Hux. I want to get to know what you like beside your blasted ship. I want to be able to talk about my problems and to help you with yours. I want to come and sleep next to you if I wish for it, and I want for you to come to me when you want or need something from me. I want _all_ of you.” Kylo had taken Hux's hands and leaned forward, staring into Hux's impenetrable eyes to strengthen his point.

Hux stayed immobile for long second, watching Kylo intensely. His lush lips stretched into a smirk.

“Do I need to sign with my blood?”

Kylo hid a smile under the fall of his dark hair before surging in to kiss Hux greedily.

He took the empty cups and put them delicately aside, nuzzling Hux's neck, revelling at the sweet scent mixing smoke, sweat and a flowery undertone Kylo could not identify. He pulled Hux on top of him, roaming his large hands on every reachable patch of almond-white skin, chasing the heady smoky scent from Hux's tongue.

“What did I agree to?” Hux mused once he had managed to disentangle from the octopus embrace. Lying face to face, they looked at each other, Hux's face more relaxed than just before. Kylo crawled back into Hux's arms, a big feline wishing to be petted.

 

“Can I ask you something?” Hux finally broke the silence.

“Ask.” Kylo wondered what was to come.

“You looked like you were about to cry? Earlier?”

Kylo sighed deeply. He tightened his arms and grunted.

“I’m not exactly sure. It was… Everything happened so fast after I lost my temper that I did not really had time to process. I was… very emotional before you tried to stop me and… it all came back, when I saw you, vulnerable.”

“ Was it Snoke? I was informed you had a holo-meeting planned with him?”

“Yes, he… He is… recruiting for the Knights of Ren. He picks people that he thinks are promising and then he breaks them, and hands them to me to train. And there is this girl, she’s like, much younger than I was when... “ Kylo’s voice broke. “...the age I was when I destroyed Skywalker’s padawans. I’m the one who retrieved her from the hellhole she was surviving in, I think I’m the only person who ever cared for her basic needs. And, well, I got attached to her, like the little sister I always wished for.”

Buried in his hair, Hux's fingers had turned soothing.

“And today Snoke said that the waif is Force sensitive. Snoke is scared of Force-users and does not want several of us to be allied. So he told me that next time I come to the Citadel, I’ll have to kill her.”

“Did Snoke summon you?”

“No, he did not. He did not even give me a timeframe, it could be tomorrow as well as in a year. It’s what he does, keeping me on the edge.”

“What’s the girl’s name?” Hux enquired softly.

“Meran.”

“Well, we’ll have to find something where a Force user could be useful. Something you cannot do, so that Snoke will send us the girl.”

“And then?” Kylo asked, hope heavy in his voice.

“Well, I will keep her of course.” Hux smirked. “I am known to be acquisitive.”

“Possessive, you mean.”

“Yes, Ren, that too.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I borrowed the fire and porcelain comparison from [ acroamatica ](http://archiveofourown.org/users/acroamatica/pseuds/acroamatica)'s amazing sonnet written for the first part of the no-less amazing [ InceptionVerse!Fic ](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5778994)
> 
> And the little black dress quote from the Undercover Boss SNL.
> 
> This is the first fictional thing I ever wrote so I will be for ever grateful for your comments, and kudos!
> 
> Hux drinks smoked black tea, equivalent from Lapsang Souchong.  
> He uses [ this kind ](http://ackland.org/glimpse-into-the-collection-tea-pots/)of teapot (the white one, before last) and cups. Imagine them in Kylo's giant hands...
> 
> I hope you enjoyed my story, and I'm very much looking forward to read your opinion!
> 
> You can find on [ my Tumblr ](http://eridaniepsilon.tumblr.com/), my askbox is always opened.


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